Used 125 gal

[duanes]

Within an hour of cleaning, the Porret foam is doing a pretty good job of capturing the newly spilled particulate, and the 125 is clearing nicely.


The 180 will take longer, because it all has to cycle thru it, then overflow into the far end of the 125, before passing thru the Porret foam on the pump end.

 

[duanes]

A 1 year update on the 125 for anyone interested.
Valinsneria has basically taken over as the dominent aquatic plant.
I replaced the papyrus with locally collected mangrove pods I found on the islands beaches back in August, and some have grown into @ foot long saplings.

Covid has thwarted any fish collecting in the Darian, so nothing new on the fish front.
I don't know if its vaccine hesitancy among the native Cuna Yala people of the area, or lack of vaccine availability in that remote region (and much of rural Panama), but Covid cases are running unchecked thru the Darian, and travel to the region is being discouraged.
I had to shut down filtration between the 2 tanks after our island water plant broke down (breakdown lasted over a month). No water changes obviously, only rain event additions, or small additions of sea water, when things got desperate.
Its interesting to me how a little added sea water perked up the Vallisneria.

 

[The Masked Shadow]

What fish do you plan to have? Ive always loved your tanks because of the wildness!

 

[duanes]

What fish do you plan to have? Ive always loved your tanks because of the wildness!

My goal is an all eastern Panamanian (Darien) biotope.
Isthmoheros tuyrensis, Geophagus crassilabris, and Darienheros calobrensiis for cichlids split between the two (or more) tanks, with Roeboides tetras as dithers in one tank, and Poecilia gill mollies in the less predatory tank(s).
A few goby's and stick catfish.
Below some internet pics (not mine)

 

[DrownedFishonFire]

Do you ever get requests to send some fish from the area to the states? Just was curious

 

[duanes]

Do you ever get requests to send some fish from the area to the states? Just was curious

A 1 ounce letter, sent to the states from Panama with a 48 hour guarantee delivery costs around $70.
You can imaging what the cost of shipping even a small fish, in a couple pound box would cost.
Not to mention the cost of permits, and legalities.
And then tack on the costs and time associated with collection.
To me it would not be worth the trouble.